Flexible shaft.



A dM d w i A. MONARD.

FLEXIBLE SHAFT.

APPLICATION FILED 050.24, 1915.

1,200,216. Patented 0013. 3,1916.

WITNESSES l/Vl/E/VTOR A TTURNEYS ITNITED STATES; PATENT OFFICE.

ARM-AND MONARD, 'OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FZEXIBLE SHAFT.

To all whom it may concern Be itknown that I, ARMAND MONARD, a citizenof Switzerland, and a resident ,of the city of New York, borough ofQueens, Ridgewood, in the county of Queens and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved-Flexible Shaft, of which the following isafull, clear, and exact descrip tion.

My invention relates to flexible shafts consisting of a plurality ofinterconnecting links, and the objectthereof is to provide a simple andefiicient shaft ofcomparatively little weight and great flexibility andin which .the connections between the links are in the shape ofspherical joints.

With the above and other objects in view, the nature ofwhich will morefully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinfullydescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation of a section ofa shaft embodying my invention;Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank before the blank is drawn intoa tubularsection; Fig. 3 is a section through the blank drawn into a link; Fig. 4is a 'sectionthrough a shaft fragment showing two links in connectionand a third one ready to receive a succeeding link; Fig. 5 is a sectionon line 5 5, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a blank having a modifiedlocking arrangement for the locking of the link extensions; Fig. 7 'is asection through the blank after being drawn into a link;

F ig. 8 is a longitudinal section through a shaft portion formed oflinks, as shown inv Figs. 6 and 7 Fig. 9 is a cross section through alink on line.9 9, Fig. 8; .Fig. 10 is a plan view of a further modifiedblank; Fig. 11 is a section through a blank after the same 'is drawn;Fig. 12 is a section through a shaft. section formed of such links; Fig;13 is a section through a shaft section in which the tubular links areprovided with reinforcing fillers; Fig. 14 is a cross section of such ashaft; and Fig. 15 is an elevation of a filler.

Referring particularly'to Figs. 1. to 5 inclusive, 16 is a blanksubstantiallycircular in form having twodiametrically oppositeextensions 17 The blank has also a pair of Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed December 24, 1915.

Patented Oct. 3, 1916.

Serial No. 68,522.

arcuate, diametrically opposite slots 18 disposed on an axis at rightangles to the extensions. The edge of the blank has diametricallyopposite, pointed portions 19 alining with the slots.

When the blank is turned into a link 20 the central part 21 of the blankis raised to form a semi-spherical partition 22 at one end of thetubular link resulted from the drawing of the blank. The openings 18 ofthe blank extendpartly on the lateral surface of the link at the edgewhere the partition is formed and partly into the partition, as bestseen in Fig. 4. These openings are adapted to receive the extensions 17of another link. After the extensions have passed through the opening 18they are bent to encompass the partition; It will be noted that one ofthe extensions 17 has a notch 23, while the other has a projection 24adapted to fit into the notch 23' of the 'other'extension, whereby thetwo ends are locked when 1 the extension, with the projection, is foldedover the extension with the recess. It is self-evident that the lengthof the extension 17 is just sufficient to encompass the partiis in theplane of the edge formed by the partition with the body of the link; andsince the apexes 19 are in contact with said edge they also lie in theplane in which the center of the semispherical partition. lies. The saidapexes form fulcrums or bearings in addition to the bearings formed bythe engagement of the extensions with the partitions, asseen in Fig. 4.The displacement between two links is limited by the degree of slopingfrom the apexes to the extensions. The blank 16 (see Figs. 6 to 9inclusive) differs from the blank 16 only in the means for interlockingthe extensions 17. It will be noted that each extensionhasa pointed.

9. The engagement or the splicing of the extension ends interlocks theends, and. considerable stress may be applied. longitudinally on theshaft without in any way endangering the parting of the interconnectinglinks. In cases where the blank is of considerable thickness (see Figs.10 to12 inelusive), the extensions 17 have no interlocking means, forthe strength of the extension is sufficient to overcome any longitudinalstress upon the shaft. The said extensions 17" may be long enough tomeet, but this is not necessary, for if they only partially encompassthe semi-spherical partition 22 they will answer the purpose, as can beeasily seen from the drawings,

In Figs. 13 to 15 inclusive the links 20 are provided with fillers toincrease the lateral strength of the shaft, for each link will bereinforced by a filler 26 which extends from the encompassing extensions17"to the semi-spherical partition 22 of the adjacent link. It will benoted from-Fig. l3'that the lillers are placed into position as theshaft is built u by the connection offithe links.

' Preferably one end of the filler 26 is concave, having a curvaturesubstantially that of the encompassing end l 'l. The other end of thefiller is convex, havingv a curvature substantially that of thesemi-spherical partition 22. It will be noted'thattheflexible shaft inwhich the linksare reinforced by fillers will not only increase thelateral strength of the shaft but also its longitudinal resistance.

Vhile I have described the principle of operation together with thedevice which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desireto have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative andthat such changes may bemade as are within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having aninwardlyraised, semispherical partition at one end thereof and an extension atthe other end adapted to en gage an adjacent link and encompass thesemi-spherical partition of the said adjacent link.

2. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having an inwardlyraised, semispherical partition at one end thereof, each link having.diametrically opposite slots at theedge of said partition, anddiametrically opposite extensions from the other end of said link in aplane at right angles to the plane of the slots, said extensionsengaging the slots of an adjacent link and-encompassing thesemi-spherical partition thereof.

3. A flexible shaft consisting of tubularlinks each having an inwardlyraised, semispherical partition at one end thereof, each link havingdiametrically opposite slots at the edge of said partition,diametrically opposite extensions from the other end of said link inaplane at right angles to the plane of the slots, said extensionsengaging the slots of an adjacent link and encompassingthesemi-spherical partition thereof, the extensions encompassing thepartition having meansr'locking the ends thereof.

4. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having an inwardlyraised, semispherical partition at one end thereof,.each link havingdiametrically opposite slots at the edge of said partition, anddiametrically opposite extensions from theother end of said link in aplane at, right angles to the plane of the slots, saidextensions'engaging the slots of an adjacent link andencompassing thesemi-spherical partition thereof, the extensions having means at theendsadapted. to interlock when the extension encompasses a partition.

5. A flexible shaft consisting, of tubular links each having an inwardlyraised, semisphericalp artition at oneend' thereof, each link having,diametrically opposite slots at the edge of said partition, anddiametrically opposite extensions from the other end of said; link in aplane at. right angles to the plane of the slots, said extensionsengaging the slots of an adjacent linkv and encompassing thesemi-spherical partition thereof,.one of the extensions having aprojectiom the other of the extensions having a recess adaptedto beengaged by the projection when the extensions are made to encompassapartition of an adjacent link.

6. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having at oneendthereof an inwardly raised, semi-spherical partition, each linkhaving diametrically opposite slots at the edge of the partition, anddiametrically opposite extensions at' the other end of the link at aplane at right angles tothe plane of the slots, said extensions beingadapted to engage the slots of an adj acent. link and encompass thepartition thereof, the edge of the link at the extensions slopingsymmetrically toward the extensions, the apexes of the sloping edgesbeing in alinement with the slots and engaging the edge of: the adjacentlink.

7; A flexible shaft consisting of'tubular linkseach having at oneend.thereof aninwardly raised, semirspherical partition, each linkhaving diametrically opposite Slots at the edge of." the partition,and'diametrically opposite extensions at the other end of'the link in aplane at. right angles to the plane of the. slots, said extensionsbeing. adapted to engage the slots of an adjacent: link and encompassthe partition thereof, the edge of the link at the exten- 1 sionssloping, symmetrically toward the. extensions, the apexes of the slopingedges being in alinement with the slots and engaging the edge of theadjacent link, the center of curvature of the partition being in theplane of the edge of the link Where the partition is formed.

8. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having at one endthereof an inwardly raised, semi-spherical partition forming an integralpart of the link, said links having diametrically opposite slots at theedge of the partitions, and diametrically opposite extensions at theother end of the link engaging the slots of an adja cent link andencompassing the partition of the adjacent link, said extensions havingmeans locking the ends thereof, the edges of the link at the extensionssloping symmetrically toward the extensions, whereby the apexes of theslopes are in alinement With the slots, said apexes engaging the edge ofthe adjacent link, the center of curvature of the semi-sphericalpartition being in the plane of the edge of the link Where the partitionis formed.

9. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having at one endthereof an in Wardly-raised, semi-spherical partition, each link havingdiametrically opposite slots at the edge of the partition, anddiametrically opposite extensions at theother end of the link in a planeat right angles to the plane of the slots, the extensions engaging theslots of an adjacent link and encompassing the partition of the saidadjacent link, the edge of the link at the extensions sloping toward theextensions whereby the apexes of the slopes are in alinement With theslopes, said apexes engaging the edge of the adjacent link, and a fillerWithin each link extending from the partition of an adjacent link to theextensions of another adjacent link.

10. A flexible shaft consisting of tubular links each having an inwardlyraised semispherical partition at one end thereof, and an extension atthe other end adapted to engage an adjacent link and encompass thesemi-spherical partition of said adjacent link, and a filler in eachlink extending between the semi-spherical partition and the extensionsof the adjacent links respectively.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

ARMAND MONARD.

v WVitnesses:

PAUL Bisnnorr, GUsTAvn HALTINER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

